The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-12-31
LITTLE JENNIE.
How She Followed Old Brindle
Into the Swamps.


Il was Just five O'Clock. Far away
over the prairies the great golden sun
was beginning to rise. As he showed
his friendly old face above the trees
that grow on the ridge as far away as
the eye could reach, the mist that hung
over the river skunk away. and trees
and grass glistened with the heavy dew
drops. Here and there heecy white
clouds were flying swiftly before the
dazzling rays Of light. as If afraid OF
scorching their wings by Tutoring too
near the great lamp Of day, while the
clear blue sky cncircled the earth in
tender embrace and the rivers and the
plains and the PARKWAY mountains re-
sponded with radiant smile. As the
sun rose higher. the little mission sta
ton on the bank of the smoothly-flow-
ing river began to awake. From the
low little adobe homes appeared one
by one the tall Indians, with their
straight black hair falling roughly
about their dark faces. The little
children gathered in groups and talked
In low. cultural tones Of the coming
day, and the women stood for moment
in the doorways and then silently dis
appeared within.
At the mission house there was stir.
and the tidy Indian girls moved briskly
about preparing the morning meal.
Not far away stood a group of children,
and they all looked up and a smile
broke over their dusky faces, as a
golden-haired little girl. with bright
blue eyes and soft white skin. tripped
down the steps and Joined them. How
strangely she looked, the little pale
face, among those Indian children!
They thought her child Of the sun,
crowned with bit Of her great fathers
glory, while she, with all her heart,
wished that she had black hair as they
had, that could be braided in long
straight braids instead Of twisting about
ones fingers in such ridiculous way.
She felt no fear of them. as child un-
used to their stolid looks and ways
would. They werc the only companions
of her own age that she had ever known,
and to her their faces were friendly,
their manners natural. II there was
any one strange and unlike others. Il
was she, for was she not the only one
with a white skin among them all? O
course her father and mother were mo-
so dark as the Indians; but long year.
of exposure to the glaring light ant
parching winds Of the plains had made
them resemble the people among whom
they had lived and toiled. much NOR
than the little girl who had only hat
four years in all her life.
She saw one of the girls from tn
house come down the steps carrying
bucket, and she followed her to wher
the old cow, Brindle, stood. patientl,
waiting to be MIXED. She never tire'
of standing by old Brindle. who chewe'
her cud in quiet contentmcnt, while
stream of fragrant milk poured steadil
into the bucket.
Sarah, where does the cow get tn
milk?" she asked.
Sarah smiled rs she replied:
''She must get it down by the rivHl
Jennie, where she stays all day, IL
she always brings it home with her."
II never saw any down there, di
you, Sarah" asked Jennie in wonde
20. no, Jennie; but cows see thing
we don't. / guess" And Sarah
bright eyes twinklcd mischievousl,
cant come. now. it's time for breal